Tonight Poland celebrates Christmas Eve. We gather together with our families, break a piece of Christmas Wafer we call ‘opłatek’ wishing each other health and prosperity in the coming year, and  sit around great food with one additional empty plate setting always meant for the lost soul that may knock on our door in need of shelter for the evening. After dinner we look for the first star which means presents have arrived and are now ready to be opened.

Thanks to Karolina I have my very own Christmas tree standing in the same spot I remember it as a kid. It was 16 years ago that I’ve seen Christmas in Poland, but the tree makes it look as if I never left. Karolina also baked me a batch of some delicious cookies, it’s a great feeling to have her in my life. Under the tree I even have a present, all wrapped up, courtesy of my buddy Gus Rosales back in L.A.. It would have been great guessing what it was but the customs form on the box gave it all away. Needless to say, thanks Gus.

I’m spending my Christmas Eve with my grandparents, away form my own parents for the very first time. They’ll spend it together with my sister, but I’ll be long asleep before they sit down to their Christmas dinner.

Merry Christmas!